Shop floor execution for to order manufacturers

Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) is a purpose-built ERP application for those in the discrete manufacturing sector, with specific focus on To Order manufacturers and mixed-mode manufacturers that build to order and to stock. If your company fits within these categories, there are many benefits of using Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) ERP on the shop floor, as well as throughout the entire organization.  

Infor CloudSuite Industrial leverages Infor Factory Track as its shop floor execution and warehouse mobility tool. In this article, we’ll look at areas Infor Factory Track can automate in manufacturing organizations. We’ll also explain three main benefits manufacturing companies will see when using the Infor Factory Track application with Infor CloudSuite Industrial.

Infor Factory Track

Infor Factory Track addresses three primary functions on the shop floor:

• Shop floor execution
• Warehouse mobility
• Time and attendance

We’ll primarily focus on shop floor and warehouse mobility for the purposes of this article.

Shop floor execution is critical. Organizations need to tell the ERP what they did and when they did it, at the time of that transaction, for the most accuracy and benefit. Factory Track presents a simple-to-use interface that allows employees clock or barcode scan in and out of jobs, record set up and transfer time, record quality information, record lot specific information, and see specifications and drawings. This information is usually captured at a kiosk, using touch screens or tablets/mobile devices.

Factory Track’s warehouse mobility allows organizations to track all material moves from receipt to shipping. The biggest benefit on the shop floor is the ability to simply, quickly, and accurately issue materials to the correct jobs at the time of issue. These transactions can be captured using the same hardware tools as shop floor execution, as well as RF or Bluetooth-enabled hand-held devices traditionally used for material barcoding and warehouse management.

Watch the Cloudsuite Industrial (Syteline) video

3 major benefits of Infor Factory Track

We consider these benefits to be “meter movers,” as they allow manufacturers to significantly improve their business processes, customer service, and profitability.

1. Accurate costing

Having accurate costing is essential for a properly run manufacturing company, especially for make-to-order type companies that are building a wide variety of finished goods. Without having accurate labor and material costs, companies can make critical mistakes in estimating, pricing, product mix, and customer focus. CloudSuite Industrial provides a superior toolset for having multiple costing methods per part. When combined with the accurate information being captured on the shop floor, you will have confidence in your costing and be able to make forward-looking business decisions based on facts.

2. Visibility

CloudSuite Industrial and Factory Track on the shop floor gives manufacturing employees real-time and accurate visibility into the work in process and where parts are in production. This gives manufacturers the ability to:

• • Tell a customer where a part is and when it is completed to improve service levels.
  • Know when you are going to exceed expected costs on a project during the process, versus long after, so decision makers have options for rectifying negative situations.
  • Have accurate visual indicators of work in process to save valuable time. No need to contact production to determine job status and sales and customer service teams have the autonomy to properly and quickly manage their promises to customers.Overall, the ability to see and analyze information as it happens, versus after it happened or having to physically view the process, is critical.

Related: 6 Shop Floor Management Techniques Learned From 30 Years of Experience

3. Inventory accuracy

Having proper inventory in your ERP is essential. Having correct material counts allows for proper scheduling and optimum inventory levels. Also, the accurate visibility helps sales see what’s available to promise and can drive revenue opportunities. Your results will be more on-time deliveries, shortened lead times, improved customer service, and less cash tied up in bloated inventory levels.

Inventory accuracy is improved by having proper inventory management procedures in place. Infor CloudSuite Industrial and Infor Factory Track allows for employees to leverage good procedures and provide instantaneous inventory transactions.

Related: Infor Syteline Review

Summary

Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) and Factory Track provides many benefits. Most importantly, the products make it easy for those on the shop floor to see what to do and tell CloudSuite Industrial what they did and when they did it on production. The same benefit is incurred with materials, as the simple-to-use interface makes it easy to record material transactions when they happen.

Need additional information or guidance? Visual South can help.